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Autumn is about to begin in Lapland – there’s already some beautiful autumn foliage to be seen. But autumn colors are not the only sign of the summer being over. Autumn in Lapland smells like fresh rain in the forest, tastes like berries and sounds like singing swans. You can also see the beautiful starry sky of Lapland for the first time in months. Here are nine signs of nature that tell you autumn is here!

Misty mornings

Autumn is the time of beautiful, cold and misty mornings. You want to get up early so that you won’t miss them!

Nights get darker

This feels very special especially because in Lapland the sun hasn’t set for months. So when it finally does set and the evenings get dark, it feels truly amazing. You can see the stars for the first time after spring, and even some auroras can soon appear!

Autumn foliage

The first ones to begin turning red are bilberries. Make sure that you have a camera with you when you go outside – this is something truly amazing.

Bilberry

Dwarf birch

Birch

Bunchberry

Berries get ripe

Bilberries first, then lingonberries and soon also cranberries – they are waiting for you and they are delicious! Thanks to the everyman’s right, anyone is allowed to pick berries in Finland. Just make sure you treat nature with respect and leave nothing behind! Do not litter!

Bilberries

Cranberry tasting

Fresh smell of rain

Who wouldn’t love the smell of a refreshing rain in beautiful nature. In autumn, this smell is at its best. Each forest or swamp has a wonderful smell of its own.

Time for some mushroom picking

Like berries, you can also pick mushrooms. If you’re lucky, you’ll find delicious porcinis or chanterelles!

Chanterelles

Swans get ready to leave

The whooper swan is the national bird of Finland. But they can not stay here for the winter. In autumn you can hear them singing in the wilderness, as they get ready to leave.

Thunder storms appear

Especially in August it’s possible to see and hear some amazing thunder storms and rainbows in Lapland.

Reindeer get handsome again

This might come as a shock, but reindeer get really ugly in the summer when they moult. In August they start to look very handsome again, and the males also have huge beautiful antlers.

P.s. We advice you not to approach male reindeer especially in September, as they can get aggressive during this period of reindeer’s rut.

https://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/reindeer.jpg883883Finland Naturallyhttps://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/finlandnaturally-logo.pngFinland Naturally2019-08-26 10:48:522019-08-26 10:48:53Autumn is coming to Lapland – this is how it looks, sounds, feels, smells and tastes like

Reindeer wander freely in the nature of Northern Finland. However, they are semi-domesticated animals: every reindeer has an owner. But how do the owners know where their reindeer are, how many of them may have disappeared and how many new fawns have been born?

That’s why regular reindeer round-ups are needed.

There are special kinds of reindeer round-up fences all over Lapland. In Finnish they are called “erotusaita” meaning litterally separation fence.

Above: Large numbers of reindeer are gathered to these fences from the surrounding areas a few times a year. In the actual round-up they are being separated to different kinds of smaller groups, according to their destination or owner.

Before the round-up the reindeer are being watched to see which fawn follows which mother. This is how the owners find all their new fawns.

Above: The most hectic and crucial place is a round fence called kirnu. Kirnu is usually situated in the middle of several other fences and there are doors in every direction. Here the actual separation takes place.

This is how it goes:

The reindeer waiting in the big fence are taken into the kirnu in small groups.

In the kirnu the reindeer owners capture, recognize, document and sort every reindeer. New fawns get their earmarks.

The vet monitors all this and vaccinates the animals.

One by one, every reindeer is being sent out of the kirnu. The bookkeeper writes down all the information.

It’s interesting to see what’s going on in kirnu, that’s why there’s often a curious audience.

Above: How do the owners recognize their animals? Every owner has a registered earmark, so reindeer owners can recognize every reindeer only by taking a look at their ears. During the round-up every new fawn gets its ears marked.

Above: In the kirnu reindeer are also marked with spray tags and fur marks to easily keep count of all the animals also after they have been liberated back to the nature.

Above: One by one every reindeer gets sent out of the kirnu. There’s always a bookkeeper registering each reindeer according to what the reindeer owners in kirnu report to him or her. This person keeps count on how many reindeer each owner has, and whether these animals are male, female or fawn.

Above: Reindeer on the left side have already been counted, marked and documented in the kirnu. The ones on the right are still waiting for their turn.

The amount of reindeer in reindeer round-ups vary quite a lot. In the Northern parts of Lapland there can be as many as 3000-5000 reindeer in the big fence at once. However, in the South it’s common to have anything between 150-1000 reindeer in the fence. The pictures of this article were taken in a round-up that had about 300 reindeer.

When the round-up is done, all the animals get to return to the nature. The owners now have an up-to-date knowledge on how many reindeer they own and that all their animals are in good shape.

If you ever get to participate to a reindeer round-up, consider yourself lucky! Only reindeer-owners get to know when and where the next round-up is going to be, and they often get the information only a day before. So if you’re in Lapland already and it’s either September, October, November or December, you can contact the local tourist information to check if they knew any upcoming round-ups nearby.

Many people travel to Lapland in wintertime. However, autumn in Lapland is absolutely magical as well. Check out these 10 photos to find out, why You should visit Lapland in Septemper, October or November!

1. Auroras

First auroras can often be seen in September or even in August. Unlike in winter, it’s still quite warm compared to winter temperatures, so one can admire this beautiful phenomenon without getting too cold.

2. Autumn foliage

The most beautiful colors are usually seen in September.

3. Clean air

In autumn the air seems to be full of oxygen. It is cleaner than you could ever imagine – just take a breath and you’ll notice it instantly.

4. Clear waters

In winter everything is frozen, but in autumn you can still enjoy watching and listening the rivers rumbling. Maybe you’ll even find a spring and taste how cold and pure the water is?

5. Local wild food

Big fish, tasty mushrooms and berries full of vitamins – Lapland has it all. Did you know that thanks to Finnish everyman’s rights, you can pick mushrooms and berries in the nature without asking for permissions?

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6. First frosty mornings

These are one of the best moments of the year! Now you can really see and feel the first steps of the upcoming winter.

7. Local products

How about some Lappish honey, fish products or jewellery? You can buy some really cool things in local harvest markets.

8. Nature attractions

In Lapland there are several national parks and lots of other really cool nature destinations with well-marked trails and good campfire spots. You’ll find many of them here.

9. Reindeer

In autumn it seems like there are reindeer everywhere. Just make sure you don’t got too close, as reindeer stags can get a bit unpredictable this time of the year.

10. Enjoy the wilderness

In autumn there are not many tourists in Lapland. Wanna know what perfect silence sounds like?

Photos by Jonna Saari

https://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/reindeer.jpg8831323Finland Naturallyhttps://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/finlandnaturally-logo.pngFinland Naturally2018-09-30 10:03:342018-11-08 10:42:4210 photos that make you want to visit Lapland in autumn

In my mind the best way to spend a free afternoon is to go outside and enjoy the nature, so this is what I decided to do on a beautiful sunny day. I packed my stuff, prepared my dogs to go on another adventure and headed to the national park of Pyhä-Luosto.

We started at the Rykimäkero parking area and from here we followed the Rykimäkero trail (more information about the trail and how to get there can be found below).

On the trail there is located an amethist mine. If you are planning to bringing it a visit, this trail is a perfect way to get there. But remember to check their website for the opening hours before you make your way there!

By following the trail you will come across different kinds of paths and parts of the forest. One moment your are making your way through the swamp on some duckboards, and the next you are following a dirt road between the trees. But this is what makes the trail so special: the changing scenery makes you experience the different aspect of nature that Lapland has to offer.

During the hike my dogs suddenly got restless. They started sniffing every little leaf and rock that crossed their path, hoping that it will give away the location of the thing that leaves behind a certain scent that they had picked up on. It only took a couple of meters until a reindeer decided to pop out from between the trees. It happens quite often that we come across these beautiful animals during a hike. Sadly, my huskies don’t have the best intentions when meeting these creatures, so we had to move on pretty quickly.

Along the trail there are a lot of shelter places where you can make a fire, enjoy some lunch or just take a little break. Just remember to leave everything the way you found it, without any waste or damage, so we can enjoy these shelters for many years to come!

During one of our breaks a couple of siberian jays decided to give us a little show. They flew from tree to tree and made it look like they were dancing in the sky. Sadly I didn’t have the right equipment to get this photographed. But if you are lucky and quiet, you might experience this as well during your visit!

During my hike there were a lot of ripe bilberries and cloudberries at the side of the trail, so we decided to pick some as a snack and to bring home. My huskies think of the bilberries as nature’s free dogtreat, which makes it a little harder to actually have any berries left to bring home.

Close to the end of our hike we came across the gorge of Rykimäkero. This gorge originated when the rockbed started to tear. It’s a beautiful place to sit down and take some time to admire the power of nature. There is also a shelter, named Rykimäkuru, next to the gorge.

After this our hike came to an end. We were all satisfied by the things we had seen and experienced and can’t wait for the fall colors to start showing. Then we will follow the same trail once again and enjoy the beauty that autumn season gives us.

In Northern Finland there are several reindeer parks where one can meet and feed some super cute domesticated reindeer.

One of these parks, a reindeer park called Kopara, is situated in Luosto area in the middle of Lapland. One day I went there with my husband and his daughter.

I must confess, I’m crazy about reindeer. I was much more excited about meeting these animals than the six-year-old was. She is born and raised in Lapland, so to her reindeer are not that exotic. I, however, come from Southern Finland, where there are no reindeer whatsoever.

In Lapland you can see reindeer herds roaming free practically anywhere. Those animals are quite shy: they are only semi-domestic. There are over 200 000 reindeer in Finland and each one of them has an owner. Somewhere.

In reindeer parks the animals are much braver: they are used to getting some treats from reindeer-loving tourists. That’s why they actually come running towards you to see if you have something yummy to give them.

In Kopara there is this big chest full of reindeer food in front of the fence. After having paid just a few euros you get to go there and feed the reindeer. Just take some food and hand it over to them. They won’t bite.

Reindeer don’t really enjoy being pet. They withdraw as soon as you run out of food pellets. Luckily, you can always give them some more treats from the chest. We spent about 15 minutes feeding these reindeer, before we got too cold (remember to wear some really warm clothes!)

In Kopara there is also a café and a souvenir boutique. They also offer a variety of reindeer experiences and they actually have a few celebrity reindeer as well. Read more here: Kopara homepage

https://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/kopara-jonnasaari-32.jpg8881330Jonna Saarihttps://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/finlandnaturally-logo.pngJonna Saari2018-01-19 12:23:172018-11-08 13:04:28Make friends with a reindeer - it's easier than you think, as long as you've got some treats

What do you know about Lapland? You’ve probably heard about Santa Claus, maybe you’ve even met him when you were little. And all his reindeer of course – they live in Lapland. In winter there is lots of snow and beautiful northern lights, yes. But what more do you know?

I want to tell you about Lapland the way I know it, the way I love it. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about Lapland!

1. Reindeer like to hang out on roads in summer

When travelling in real Lapland it’s almost certain that you see reindeer at some point. In summer there are lots of mosquitos, so reindeer want to enjoy a bit of summer breeze that keeps the mosquitos away. That’s why they spend quite a lot of time on open places like roads. When driving, be cautious: these animals often don’t know how to give way to cars.

When you see reindeer on road, you probably want to take a photo. Make sure that you stop your car only on a good, visible spot. Do not park around a corner – there might be a bus or a truck coming behind you!

2. Summer in Lapland quite often feels like a real summer

Summers in Lapland are not very long, but they are stunningly beautiful. The sun is above the horizon 24/7 and the flowers are blooming like crazy. When the sun shines, it can get really warm, which in Lapland usually means something between 20 and 25 degrees celcius. There are lots of lakes and rivers – enjoy the Finnish everyman’s right and go for a swim!

3. Driving in Lapland is a blast

In Lapland there are endless roads and small villages in every direction. Many tourists come here by car, but if you need to take a plane to get here, I recommend you rent a car. That way you can enjoy Lapland’s traffic-free roads and amazing views on your own without having to be an expert hiker. However, remember to fill the tank often enough: it can be a 100km drive to the next gas station!

This is what you see when driving by Teno river in Utsjoki.

4. You can fish with a fishing rod almost everywhere

Thanks to everyman’s right in Finland, everyone is allowed to fish almost everywhere using a fishing rod. You don’t need any permissions, all you need is a fishing rod, some worms and a place to fish. Worms are usually sold in markets and gas stations. When choosing a place to fish, just make sure you’re not on somebody’s yard. You have an endless list of places to choose from: Lapland if full of lakes and rivers!

If fishing even with a simple fishing rod is prohibited for some reason in some specific lake or pond, there is a plaque on the spot that tells you not to fish.

5. People still offer gifts to ancient holy places

In Lapland there are many natural formations that have been concidered as holy. There are many holy fells, but also rocks, trees and ponds. A holy natural formation like this is often called a seita. They have been offered gifts like fish heads and reindeer horn bits to keep them happy, so that they would provide the giftgiver with hunting of fishing luck. Many of these places still receive gifts, like coins.

Taatsin seita in Kittilä is one of the best-known holy rock formations in Lapland.

We know Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen and the other reindeer pulling Santa’s Important Sleigh by name, but really nothing else. I went to find out what Santa’s reindeers are really like. They live all around Lapland, some in Torassieppi, Muonio.

Meet Rolle, one of Santa’s less famous reindeer. The antlers are pretty impressive! Rolle is always willing to work hard and he is very patient with humans (and elves). He stood still for the photo shoot like a real pro model. Did you know that reindeer see ultraviolet light! The world looks very different with Rolle’s eyes.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to meet Rudolph, as he was resting and saving his energy for the Big Day. But there are big personalities amongst the others as well.

Antlers are a signal of fitness

The bigger the antlers, the better father material you are in the eyes of the ladies. Lads cannot cheat and grow ridiculously large antlers, however, as it is up to genes and fitness how large they grow.

Unlike other deer, female reindeer have antlers too, although smaller ones. Most likely the function is to better defend their young.

Antlers grow at astonishing speed, as much as 2 cm per day! Reindeer antlers are the largest of all deers, relative to body size.

Reindeer shed their antlers once a year, males after the rutting (mating) season. Some hold on to their crown until Christmas, probably to show off when travelling with Santa. Others won’t get rid of them until spring! Big antlers are heavy to carry and not very handy in thick forest, so there is really no need to keep them after the ladies have seen them in Autumn. Females loose their antlers in the summer.

Reindeer are not fussy with food

The favourite food of reindeer is lichen. But in the forest during their summer holidays reindeer also munch mushrooms and plants. It has been counted that reindeer eat over 350 different species of plant! The strategy is to pile up weight as much as possible before the long winter.

In Torassieppi the elves feed the reindeer an armful of hay a day, plus some protein rich lichen and reindeer pellets. To keep them in shape.

In the winter they smell food under a thick layer of snow. They have a very good sense of smell, it is reindeer’s most import sense.

His name is Aaro. He can be a bit moody and doesn’t get along with everybody. Aaro tends to prefer female elves and co-operates well with them! He does like his caretaker Tommi (at the background), with whom he goes sledding often.

Extreme cold doesn’t bother

Reindeer can manage in extreme cold, in -50 degrees of Celsius.

My lungs hurt if I ski at full speed in -25 C. Reindeer warm cold air in the long nose before it enters lungs.

But the coolest (or warmest) trick is in the fur: They have a very thick underlayer of hair, and overcoat is made of stiff, hollow hair that traps air for insulation. Actually Santa’s reindeer could make their journey by swimming, as the air trapping fur works like a life vest!

I personally often get cold feet even in my warmest shoes. Reindeer don’t care, even if the temperature in their feet goes near freezing point. They don’t get a frost bite as I would, thanks to a specialised circulation system, in addition to a super cool antifreeze liquid in their bone marrow. True story.

Need to stop for a wee

In Finnish we have a measurement poronkusema which means the distance a reindeer runs without urinating. It is 7-8 km in fact. Reindeer cannot run and pee, so when sledding, they must be stopped at certain intervals so they can use the bathroom. I noticed at least Rolle seemed to empty his bladder every time we stopped on our 3 km sledding trip, just in case. It is actually very dangerous for the reindeer if he can’t go in a long time.

So if you see something yellow on the snow next to your house on Christmas Day, you know what it is!

These guys are sharing a joke. Or they both just love sledding. One of the elves is practising with young Harmikas (1,5 years old), who is too young to participate in Santa’s crew just yet.

The temperature dropped in a matter of days. First it was -5 degrees celsius, then -12, then -18*. Although it has snowed next to none so far, we can say that winter has taken over the vast commune of Kittilä in western Lapland.

The river Ounasjoki froze overnight. Everything froze. Now you can hear what total silence sounds like.

When it’s really cold, the eastern sky turns pink during the sunset. Until of course the sun no longer rises and the polar night begins in a few weeks.

https://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/kittila3.jpg6861028Jonna Saarihttps://finlandnaturally.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/finlandnaturally-logo.pngJonna Saari2016-11-11 04:16:332018-11-07 13:46:57Pink skies and freezing cold: this is what's going on in Lapland right now